As the elites are about to approach the seventh stop of the 2018 ITU World Cup season, the final preparations of the race weekend are taking place in Huatulco, Mexico. This Sunday’s sprint-distance race will be the first event in North America of the season and will be the 10th time in ITU history that Huatulco has hosted the event.
But before the elites line up to compete in the heat, four athletes: Lisa Perterer (AUT), Felix Duchampt (FRA), Vanesa De La Torre (MEX) and Rodrigo Gonzalez (MEX) all took some time to chat with the local media to comment about how they are feeling going into race day.
Here is what they had to say:
Perterer
You are a veteran to this race, how does it feel to be back?
“I am very happy to be here, I have raced here many times, I love this race and have been preparing very well for this race. For this race lets see what is happening, I am a little bit sad that there is not the hill that there was in the last years, but it is going to be fun.”
Duchampt
Are you excited about racing here for your first time?
“This is my first time in Huatulco. A lot of people have told me about this race, so I have been very eager to race here and see how it is. I have been training very well and competing, so we will see how it goes. When you are in shape, I know that you have to take advantage of that. I believe that the Race on Sunday will be a really good one.”
De La Torre
How does it feel to be racing in your home nation here in Huatulco?
“I am very excited to be here in Huatulco again. I have not raced World Cups here before, but with the change of the course I would have liked the hill because it was a more demanding course. But I am very excited that this event is a qualifying race for the Olympic cycle. I hope that I can finish in the top spots so I can start to get more and more points every race so I can get closer to the Olympic Games. The Mexican Team is representing our country very well and now we are here at home and I hope we can give the satisfaction to everyone who is supporting us.”
Gonzalez
What does it mean to you to be wearing the number one? Is there any pressure?
“I believe that it is more than a pressure, but rather a great motivation to be wearing the number one in a World Cup here at home. The World Cup are always important and now that the Olympic qualification has started they are even more important. In these next couple of years of classification for the Olympics all of the World Cups and the World Triathlon Series are going to give points. So yes, to be wearing the number one it is good to know that I am a favorite and competing at home with so many people that I know who support me and cheer for me. It is going to be something that can help give an extra bonus so that hopefully I can wear this number one at the finish.”
The women will kick off the 2018 Huatulco ITU Triathlon World Cup on Sunday, June 10 at 08:00am local time, with the men following immediately after at 10:00am. Follow along with all of the action with live timing available at and with live social media updates using the hashtag #HuatulcoWC on Facebook, Instagram and the @Worldtriathlon Twitter channel.